Generally, laparoscopic surgery is performed by making a small incision in the body and placing a cannula through the incision to the area to be operated on. The surgical instruments are then inserted through the cannula and manipulated from outside the body. During these procedures, the surgeon is often required to expose and handle delicate tissues, organs and other structures within the body. To accomplish this, the surgeon uses a retractor device. Such retractor devices are generally inserted into the body cavity in a collapsed configuration and are guided to their intended target. Once the retractor reaches the intended target, the retractor is expanded. The expanded configuration enables the retractor to move and/or retain organs or other structures within the body. Examples of commonly-performed laparoscopic surgical operations include endoscopic appendectomy and laparoscopic cholecystectomy.
However, the use of surgical retractor devices during laparoscopic or minimally invasive surgery experiences some shortcomings. Traditional retractors may lack the ability to properly grip or cup organs, which may be soft, slippery, and comprise a variety of shapes. They may also be incapable of applying the required forces needed to move larger organs without bending or deforming. Furthermore, traditional retractors are often difficult to insert through a small space, expand, and then compress smoothly and quickly. In addition, some traditional retractors are unsafe due to their sharp edges, which can cause scrapes, punctures, or other injuries within the body, thereby limiting the situations where such retractors can be used. Conventional laparoscopic retractors may also be difficult to clean because of their many small grooves and spaces. Likewise, the manufacture of conventional retractors can involve numerous steps, tools, processes, and assembly scenarios, because of the many small mechanical parts used to create the joints or hinges of the retractors.